OCD is a debilitating mental illness affecting 1.2 percent of American adults. According to the American Psychiatric Association, it is characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts and sensations and repetitive, compulsive behavior, such as obsessive hand washing. The disorder can wreak havoc on a person’s professional, personal and social life, disrupting normal relationships.

Quast and his colleagues looked at seven outpatient treatments for OCD and evaluated them based on cost and effectiveness across the life expectancy of a simulated cohort of individuals. Some of the treatment strategies analyzed were the use of antidepressant medication, antidepressants used in combination with antipsychotic medications or cognitive behavioral therapy, intensive outpatient treatments and partial hospitalization with a step-down to intensive outpatient therapy (PHP/IOP therapy).

The study shows that PHP/IOP therapy yielded the highest net health benefits of the seven strategies studied. While it is the costliest option, it yields 10.92 quality-adjusted life years, more than any other modality.